Mark R. Bova, CFP®, CIMA®

Mark believes in life-long learning, so he continually works toward gaining knowledge to better his life and that of those around him. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ and a Certified Investment Management Analyst™. Along with his wife, Lisa, he is a co-founder and senior managing director of Lenity Financial, Inc., where he helps their clients attain their goals through solid financial planning and decision making.

Mark credits his father’s career in road construction for inspiring him to learn all about how money works. As young as six years old he began asking questions, such as how do construction companies afford all the equipment necessary to build roads and bridges? Mark turned this curiosity into a mission and his life’s work in banking and finance. After graduating from DePaul University in Chicago with a bachelor’s in business, he immediately went to work for Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor. From there, Mark went on to a super regional bank to gain knowledge on credit and lending and then on to Guggenheim Partners.

Along with obtaining a financial planning certificate from DePaul, Mark is a graduate of the Certified Investment Management Analyst^® (CIMA^®) Education Program from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He passed Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA^®) Program. Mark is considered an expert on exchange-traded funds and often speaks about the subject and has been quoted in Financial Planning Magazine. Mark is also considered an industry thinker and has been interviewed by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Professional memberships include: Financial Planning Association (FPA^®), the Investments & Wealth Institute^®, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA®) and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). On a different note, Mark is a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA™).

Mark has passed FINRA Series 7, 24, 31, and 66. Mark also participates in the IRS Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP) which aims to recognize the efforts of non-credentialed return preparers who aspire to a higher level of professionalism. Those who choose to participate spend 18 hours of continuing education, including a 6 hour federal tax law refresher course with test. Mark believes this ongoing education helps to provide additional insights that are important to serving his clients.

Mark chooses to spend his spare time reading and biking, often at the family’s favorite Michigan getaway. As to a favorite quote from Mark; you’re likely to hear him say that “You can’t take advantage of an opportunity unless you know it exists.”